Personnel heating assembly

Abstract

A heating assembly, including a blanket portion and a control apparatus for electrically heating the blanket portion. The control apparatus generates direct current power of desired wave form to enable the assembly to be used for warming patients without interference of medical equipment as may be used in the process of a surgery. Alternate power sources include battery power and alternating current power transformed by a transformer into direct current power.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application is a non-provisional application claiming benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 401,006, filed Aug. 5, 2002.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates to an electric blanket that operates on DC power and can accordingly be battery operated to enable users to operate the heating elements of the blanket where AC power is not available, e.g. golf cart or medical EMT use, or otherwise where AC power is not desirable, e.g., for warming patients in an environment where power cords or electromagnetic waves from alternating current sources may be detrimental.

[0004] 2. Background Information

[0005] Battery powered electric blankets are not new, as illustrated in the commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,986,243, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Whereas the electric blanket of the '243 patent was primarily targeted as a stadium blanket, a secondary u...

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